Management system and method of managing power feed mat

Abstract

A management system is configured to manage a power feed mat that wirelessly feeds power to a movable body. The power feed mat is configured to communicate while it is placed at a prescribed location. This management system includes a monitoring apparatus that monitors communication by the power feed mat and a processing apparatus that performs prescribed processing when the monitoring apparatus senses loss of the communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A management system, comprising:
 a plurality of power feed mats, wherein 
 each of the plurality of power feed mats is configured to wirelessly feed power to a movable body, 
 the plurality of power feed mats is configured to communicate among the plurality of power feed mats while the plurality of power feed mats is placed at a prescribed location, 
 each of the plurality of power feed mats includes a controller, 
 the plurality of power feed mats includes:
 a subject mat; 
 a first adjacent mat configured to monitor the subject mat; and 
 a second adjacent mat configured to be monitored by the subject mat, 
 
 the subject mat is configured to,
 in response to receiving a presence confirmation notification from the first adjacent mat while being present at the prescribed location, send a presence signal back to the first adjacent mat, the presence signal being a signal indicating that the subject mat is present at the prescribed location, 
 in response to receiving the presence confirmation notification from the first adjacent mat while being not present at the prescribed location, not send the presence signal back to the first adjacent mat, 
 transmit a presence confirmation notification to the second adjacent mat, and 
 in response to not receiving the presence signal from the second adjacent mat even when a time elapsed since transmission of the presence confirmation notification to the second adjacent mat by the subject mat has exceeded a prescribed value, perform, through the controller, prescribed processing, and 
 
 the plurality of power feed mats includes
 a first power feed mat, 
 a second power feed mat, 
 a third power feed mat, and 
 a fourth power feed mat, 
 
 in response to the first power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the fourth power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the second power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat, 
 
 in response to the second power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the first power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the third power feed mat operate as the second adjacent mat, 
 
 in response to the third power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the second power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the fourth power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat, and 
 
 in response to the fourth power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the third power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the first power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the prescribed processing includes transmission by the subject mat, of a signal indicating loss of communication. 
 
     
     
       3. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats includes an alarm device, wherein 
 the prescribed processing includes processing to issue an alarm by the alarm device. 
 
     
     
       4. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats includes a transmitter configured to emit a position signal indicating a position of a corresponding power feed mat of the plurality of power feed mats, and 
 the prescribed processing includes processing to start emission of the position signal by the transmitter. 
 
     
     
       5. The management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a server configured to communicate with a terminal of a manager of the plurality of power feed mats, wherein 
 the subject mat is configured to, in response to the controller of the subject mat sensing loss of communication, transmit a first signal to the server, and 
 the server is configured to, in response to the server receiving the first signal, transmit to the terminal, a second signal indicating the power feed mat having left the prescribed location. 
 
     
     
       6. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the subject mat is configured to, in response to the controller of the subject mat sensing loss of communication by any one of the plurality of power feed mats, transmit a signal indicating in which of the plurality of power feed mats communication has been lost. 
 
     
     
       7. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats is flexible to such an extent as being rolled into a cylinder. 
 
     
     
       8. The management system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats is a rental power feed mat. 
 
     
     
       9. A management system, comprising:
 a plurality of power feed mats, wherein each of the plurality of power feed mats includes a plurality of power transmission coils; and 
 a power supply module including
 a power supply circuit configured to supply electric power to each of the plurality of power transmission coils included in the plurality of power feed mats, 
 a communication apparatus configured to communicate with each of the plurality of power feed mats placed at a prescribed location, and 
 a monitoring computer configured to
 transmit a presence confirmation notification to each of the plurality of power feed mats, and 
 in response to the monitoring computer not receiving a presence signal sent back from at least one of the plurality of power feed mats even when a time elapsed since transmission of the presence confirmation notification has exceeded a prescribed value, perform prescribed processing, the presence signal being a signal indicating that said at least one of the plurality of mats is present at the prescribed location, wherein 
 
 
 the plurality of power feed mats includes:
 a subject mat; 
 a first adjacent mat configured to monitor the subject mat; and 
 a second adjacent mat configured to be monitored by the subject mat, 
 
 the subject mat is configured to,
 in response to receiving a presence confirmation notification from the first adjacent mat while being present at the prescribed location, send a further presence signal back to the first adjacent mat, the further presence signal being a signal indicating that the subject mat is present at the prescribed location, 
 in response to receiving the presence confirmation notification from the first adjacent mat while being not present at the prescribed location, not send the further presence signal back to the first adjacent mat, 
 transmit a presence confirmation notification to the second adjacent mat, and 
 in response to not receiving the further presence signal from the second adjacent mat even when a time elapsed since transmission of the presence confirmation notification to the second adjacent mat by the subject mat has exceeded a prescribed value, perform, through the controller, further prescribed processing, 
 
 the plurality of power feed mats includes
 a first power feed mat, 
 a second power feed mat, 
 a third power feed mat, and 
 a fourth power feed mat, 
 
 in response to the first power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the fourth power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the second power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat, 
 
 in response to the second power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the first power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the third power feed mat operate as the second adjacent mat, 
 
 in response to the third power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the second power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the fourth power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat, and 
 
 in response to the fourth power feed mat operating as the subject mat,
 the third power feed mat operates as the first adjacent mat, and 
 the first power feed mat operates as the second adjacent mat. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The management system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the prescribed processing includes:
 specifying said at least one of the plurality of power feed mats that does not send the presence signal back; and 
 transmitting a signal including identification information of the specified said at least one of the plurality of power feed mats. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The management system according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the power supply module further includes an alarm device, and 
 the prescribed processing includes processing to issue an alarm by the alarm device. 
 
     
     
       12. The management system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a server configured to
 communicate with a terminal of a manager of the plurality of power feed mats, and 
 in response to the server receiving the signal indicating the loss of communication, transmit to the terminal, a further signal indicating the power feed mat having left the prescribed location. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The management system according to  claim 12 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats includes an alarm device, wherein 
 the prescribed processing includes processing to issue an alarm by the alarm device. 
 
     
     
       14. The management system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 each of the plurality of power feed mats includes a transmitter configured to emit a position signal indicating a position of a corresponding power feed mat of the plurality of power feed mats, and 
 the prescribed processing includes processing to start emission of the position signal by the transmitter.